Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2024 to Question 12181 on Typhoon Aircraft: Procurement, what steps he is taking to ensure that skilled workers in the defence sector are retained.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

This Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy which ensures the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned. The defence sector, including the combat air sector, provides highly skilled jobs across the UK and the Defence Industrial Strategy will consider how we grow and retain the skills needed, working closely with partners across Government, industry and skills bodies to ensure we retain and attract a skilled workforce across the sector.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the increased bus fare cap on public transport use in Lancashire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In the Budget on 30 October, the government confirmed it will invest over £150 million to introduce a new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025. Under the plans of the previous administration, the current £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain the cap beyond this point.

The published interim evaluation of the £2 fare cap showed that patronage continued to recover following the COVID 19 pandemic. The final evaluation of the £2 fare cap will be published in due course.

Considering all its impacts, the fare cap is not financially sustainable for taxpayers and bus operators at £2. Capping fares at £3 will keep bus travel affordable while ensuring the cap is fair to taxpayers, helping millions of people access better opportunities, travel for less and protect vital bus routes, in Lancashire and right across England.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the funding her Department provides Visit Britain.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Funding allocations for VisitBritain are reviewed as part of the comprehensive spending review process, which in turn depends on the recent Budget. I note the Honorable Member’s bid for additional funding - and his opposition to the Budget. It is difficult to see how one can will the ends but not the means.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting (a) the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and (b) other voluntary lifesaving services from the changes made to employers' National Insurance contributions at the Autumn Budget 2024.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the important role charities play in our society and has made it a priority to reset the relationship with civil society by developing a Civil Society Covenant.

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.

The Government recognises the need to protect the smallest businesses and charities, which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of employers with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year. Charities will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under 21s and under 25 apprentices, where eligible.

More broadly, within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving., with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities, CASCs and their donors in 2023 to 2024.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Government's net zero policies on food supply from British producers.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to delivering net zero by 2050, while ensuring that the transition to more climate friendly practices goes hand in hand with food security and farm productivity from British producers.

We will work with farmers to support economic growth while protecting the environment by accelerating uptake of innovative technologies, to increase productivity and efficiency in the agriculture sector. This will in turn support net zero, food production, efficient use of land and nature recovery.

To further support our farming businesses during net zero transition, we will protect our producers being undercut during international negotiations, make the supply chain work more fairly and prevent shock rises in bills by switching on GB Energy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to help firms secure orders of Eurofighter Typhoon jets from international partners.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Exports of the Eurofighter Typhoon jets are led by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). My Department does however support MOD-led export campaigns through our network of staff in the UK and overseas. We also work closely with the Typhoon partner governments of Germany, Italy and Spain, in line with the commitments each nation has made to support the others' exports.

Earlier this month, the Defence Secretary was in Turkey and Saudi Arabia to discuss with Defence Ministers the future role that UK-made Typhoons could play in both countries.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department will require councils to collect household and food waste separately by March 2026.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Under Simpler Recycling, by 31 March 2026 local authorities in England will be required to provide weekly food waste collections to all households.